This is meant to level the playing field between the two teams involved in an NFL game, even if one team is perceived to be vastly superior to the other. Unlike a moneyline bet, which asks bettors simply who will win, bettors have to keep the point spread amount in mind when placing these bets.Īn easy way to remember how NFL game odds work is to remember that points are subtracted from the favorites and added to the score of the underdog. The amount of that handicap can vary depending on the NFL lines for a given week, which are based on the matchups between each team. The point spread is a handicap that is applied to the number of points scored for the team a bettor is wagering on.

The first question bettors should ask when dealing with NFL pro football odds is what the point spread is in the first place.